Chapter 384 — An Unexpected Call

Handing over poison would be nothing short of courting death: should anything go wrong in Divine Doctor Kang's household, the very first suspect would be him.

So Kang Zhaoming decided he would try the stuff himself. It might not do him any good, but it certainly could not do him harm; and if he let his father take it, his grandfather would only think less of him. He gritted his teeth and spoke his decision.

The words took Divine Doctor Kang by surprise. He had never imagined that this greedy, life-clinging little grandson of his would volunteer to test the medicine. Delighted, he said, "Good! Zhaoming, I never thought I would live to see the day you grew up and came to your senses. Rest assured — once we get to the bottom of this pill, whatever profits it brings, I will count you in for a share!"

Kang Zhaoming was overjoyed at once. If this Life-Prolonging Detox Pill proved a success, the profit it yielded would be no less than that of the wound-healing salve. To think he might actually hold a share of it — that was a blessing almost too great to be believed.

In the third generation of the Kang family, even the brilliant Kang Zhaolong held no shares. At the thought that he himself would be the very first, Kang Zhaoming was beside himself with joy.

Kang Cuipu, Kang Zhaoming's father, was no less astonished at his son's courage and nerve. That a single decision on the boy's part could win such enormous advantage and benefit — he had never dreamed it.

Even Kang Zhaolong shot his younger brother a glance tinged with envy.

In the Kang household Kang Zhaoming had always played the part of a cowardly, spoiled young master, so when he did something wicked everyone merely took it in stride and thought nothing of it. For him to suddenly do one sensible thing, therefore, was bound to catch people off guard.

And so, taken by surprise, Divine Doctor Kang made Kang Zhaoming just such a promise...

Kang Zhaoming took from Divine Doctor Kang's hand that lump of "dog shit" which purported to be a Life-Prolonging Detox Pill, laid it on the table, cut it open with a sharp little knife, pinched up half of it, held it aloft, and made ready to swallow it down.

"Ugh... it stinks!" He brought it near his mouth and nearly retched himself sick. "How can it smell exactly like a pile of foul dog shit!"

"Just as you said yourself — good medicine is bitter to the taste!" Kang Cuipu urged. He was every bit as excited: if his son took this Life-Prolonging Detox Pill and felt its effects, the family would come into a share of the company, and he, as the father, would have a face shining too.

Kang Zhaoming nodded, steeled himself, pinched his nose shut, closed his eyes, and stuffed the half of "dog shit" into his mouth. He then gulped down several mouthfuls of water and only with the greatest effort forced down the urge to vomit, managing at last to keep it where it was.

A long while passed before he caught his breath again, and he let out a great sigh. "Phew... it is finally down."

"Good. Zhaoming, don't set foot outside the house for the next few days; stay home and watch for the effects after taking it." Divine Doctor Kang nodded, then turned to Kang Guifeng. "Guifeng, seal up the other half of the Life-Prolonging Detox Pill. If it works on Zhaoming, take it to the lab and have someone analyze its composition."

"Yes, sir." Kang Guifeng nodded.

Having eaten the "dog shit," Kang Zhaoming felt his stomach heaving in miserable revolt. He fought down the urge to retch, hurried back to his room and collapsed onto his bed. It must be said that Kang Zhaoming was reasonably lucky: the half he had swallowed happened still to carry a residue of the Life-Prolonging Detox Pill — it was not pure dog shit after all.

Naturally, Wei Zhao knew nothing of what had befallen the Kang household. Had he known that Kang Zhaoming had picked up the "dog shit" believing it a Life-Prolonging Detox Pill, and even swallowed half of it, he would have laughed himself sick.

At Guan Xuemin's house, Wei Zhao had given Kang Xiaobo a broad outline of the pharmaceutical company. Kang Xiaobo was thrilled, yet anxious as well: he had not the slightest experience in running an enterprise. He did not want to let a good opportunity slip through his fingers, but neither was he a fool — he knew full well what came of muddling through blind. "Chief, I don't know the first thing about running and managing a business. You've got to give me some time to learn..."

Kang Xiaobo's excitement ran its course and calm returned. He was the sort who flared up easily, but once the blaze had passed he could look at things coolly.

In the rooftop brawl and in the Xiaofen affair, Kang Xiaobo had shown the same hot-blooded temper, yet afterward he had always been able to settle down and weigh the gains and losses of it.

Kang Xiaobo's words put Wei Zhao in something of a fix. Guan Xuemin was a scholar and naturally had no experience in running a business; as for Wei Zhao himself, that went without saying — assassination was one thing, managing a company quite another.

What Kang Xiaobo had said was not without reason, and he himself had no relevant experience either.

Only now did Wei Zhao understand how simplistically he had been thinking: possessing a prescription in one's hand was not enough to start a company. And yet, unless it was someone he could trust, Wei Zhao had no wish to let them involve themselves at will in the company's operations.

For one thing, Wei Zhao was himself a man of secrets. He had no desire to be paraded before the public, to let the whole world know the prescription came from his own hand — after all, he was still in the middle of executing a mission, and it was hardly the time to distract himself with other business.

"Xiao Yi, my idea is to find a professional manager we can trust. As for me, I would take an honorary vice-presidency, or perhaps hold the title of director of the R&D department — something that only calls for me to cooperate with the publicity," Guan Xuemin suggested. "As for the company itself, Xiaobo and Xinxin could serve as directors, taking part in decisions but not in day-to-day management."

"That is not a bad idea; the crux of it is finding a manager we can trust." Wei Zhao nodded. "But such a person will not be so easy to find."

"There is no hurrying this!" Guan Xuemin shook his head. "I will ask around a bit more."

And so the matter was shelved for the time being. Wei Zhao drove Kang Xiaobo out of Guan Xuemin's villa; he had meant to take the boy straight home, but Kang Xiaobo said he wanted to go to a bookstore and buy a few books on business management.

It smacked a little of cramming at the last minute, yet the very fact that Kang Xiaobo had the heart for it gladdened Wei Zhao. What he feared most was a boy who would not better himself; so long as he was willing to put in the effort, that was enough.

Wei Zhao dropped Kang Xiaobo at the bookstore, did not go up with him, and headed straight back to Gu Mengyao's villa. Two days gone already — he wondered whether the young miss bore a grudge. He had agreed with her beforehand that he would be accompanying Kang Xiaobo to his second grandfather's birthday banquet, and Gu Mengyao had raised no objection; but who could say whether that girl Shen Yushu had been whispering poison into her ear?

As he drew near home, Wei Zhao's phone rang. He had assumed it was Kang Xiaobo or Tang Yun calling, but when Wei Zhao saw the name on the caller ID, he could not help but freeze.

For the person on the line was none other than Wang Xinyan.

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